


What I Like About You

by badbavarois



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Olympics, Post-Canon, Team Bonding, ushijima centric, ushijima zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 13:58:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13412757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badbavarois/pseuds/badbavarois
Summary: Ushijima Wakatoshi - Japan's ace and Shiratorizawa's sweetheart.





	What I Like About You

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the ushijima zine and since that's done, I figured it was time to finally share this.  
> i think it was edited by rosywiki but that was over the summer so idk anymore  
> i hope you enjoy!!

Sometimes, Wakatoshi feels lonely in his Tokyo apartment. 

 

Not often, and not the crushing loneliness he first felt when he came to the city to play for the national team. Besides, he’s twenty-two now, and he gets along with most of his teammates, but even still, they’re nothing like his team at Shiratorizawa, and it’s weight ever present on his chest, pressing down until he’s suffocating. 

 

He swallows down the feeling and focuses on making dinner. His first Olympics start tomorrow; he doesn’t have time to get stuck in the past. It’s gone now, anyway, and has been for a long time.

 

…

 

_ message from: S A T O R I ~~~★★ _

_ TOSHI!!!! dont forget the team is coming to the game to cheer you on!!! good luck!!! we believe in you!!! remember to have fun!!! _

 

_ message to: S A T O R I ~~~★★ _

_ Thank you for organizing this, Satori. I look forward to seeing you all tonight.  _

 

_ message from: S A T O R I ~~~★★ _

_ its no problem toshi!!! you know the team is always happy to see you :) _

 

…

 

They play against Australia at six. The sets rush by quicker than Wakatoshi can keep track, sucked up in the fast pace of the game. The arena is filled to the brim with cheering fans and Wakatoshi struggles to hear the commentators over the roar at some points, but somehow, he can still hear his old team, like a constant heartbeat pushing him forward. 

 

…

 

“Senpai!” 

 

Goshiki has grown taller, a little stockier, but his haircut is the same. He pulls Wakatoshi into a hug in the middle of the izakaya, squeezing him tightly even as Wakatoshi pats his back. 

 

“Hello, Goshiki-kun.”

 

“Ah, I’m so happy I could come, Senpai,” Goshiki says, finally pulling away even as his hands remain on Wakatoshi’s elbows. “I’m going to fail my econ course since I’m missing the final, but getting to see you play is more important.”

 

“You need to go to class, Goshiki-kun.”

 

He shakes his head, still smiling. “But you’re  _ so  _ impressive, Senpai. And it’s just economics.” 

 

Before he can leave to go back to the village, Satori hands him a CD case.

 

“Watch that when you get home, yeah?”

 

…

 

_ “Is it on?” _

 

_ “Yes,”  _ Tendou says, voice disconnected. The camera lens shakes, refocusing on Semi. 

 

_ “Do I start now?” _

 

_ “Yeah. Answer the question, Semisemi - what does Ushijima Wakatoshi mean to you?” _

 

_ … _

 

_ “I’ve never met someone more enthusiastic about dogs,”  _ Reon says.  _ “No matter where we were - another school for a practice match, nationals, just out - he probably knew about every dog within a ten-mile radius. At least.” _

 

_ “At least?” _

 

_ “At least. Probably more.” _

 

…

 

Goshiki falls in front of the camera, and the words come rushing out of his mouth - _ “Senpai! Ushijima-senpai has always pushed me to do my best and improve. I’m determined to beat him! Maybe not this year, and maybe not the year after, but I will! Someday!” _

 

Tendou laughs behind the camera. 

 

...

 

_ “I came to Shiratorizawa because of the captain. I wasn’t always playing the way I wanted, but - “ _ Shirabu looks up, eyes dead on the camera,  _ “ - I played the way that would allow the captain to lead us to victory, and for that, I have no regrets.” _

 

…

 

_ “I remember the first time I ever managed to receive one of his spikes,”  _ Yamagata recounts,  _ “I thought I could do anything, after that. It wasn’t even a week before he had already improved too much for me, but even still, I had done what seemed like the impossible. Ushijima Wakatoshi has always been like that, though - too much for the average person to ever go toe to toe with.” _

 

…

 

_ “Captain Ushijima is my greatest inspiration,”  _ Soekawa says, face glowing with happiness.  _ “I never thought I would make it onto a team like Shiratorizawa, let alone become its vice-captain. But Ushijima-kun - Wakatoshi - always pushed me to be better.” _

 

…

 

Kawanishi looks uncomfortable in front of the camera, looking just past it. 

 

_ “Come on, it’s not that hard,”  _ Tendou prompts.

 

_ “He was a good captain.” _

 

_ “Anything else?”  _

 

_ “He had lots of good dog pictures. I still have them saved on my phone.” _

 

…

 

Tendou smiles at the camera, huge and bright. He’s bouncing in his seat like he’s about to explode when the words come out -  _ “He’s my best friend. Even though I don’t get to see Toshi a lot since we graduated, he’s still always there for me and always answers when I call and likes all the lizard pictures I send and - “ _

 

…

 

_ “Ushijima Wakatoshi always pushed me - all of us - to be our best. He wasn’t like Coach. He wasn’t scary. He just existed on a higher plane of existence that we all wanted to be a part of. He made us the best.” _

 

…

 

He stands on the podium with the rest of Japan’s volleyball team as the national anthem plays over the loudspeaker. Each member of the team is given their gold medal; once Wakatoshi has his, he scans the arena’s bleachers for his old teammates. It doesn’t take long - Satori made everyone matching posters with Wakatoshi’s face plastered on them, as well as inspirational quotes that leave them looking more like stock images than anything else. 

 

Once they all have their medals, the entire team lifts them in sync, met by the roar of the crowd. Ushijima Wakatoshi knows he could have made it here, even without Shiratorizawa, but he likes to think they made the journey worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed this!!! comments/kudos are appreciated, and requests are open but not guaranteed <3  
> tumblr - shuos-jedao/mother-iwa-chan/claude-lit  
> twitter - cactixix


End file.
